Microsoft(r) Windows(r) 2000 Server Resource Kit (It-Resource Kit) Pck Edition

By volume, topics covered, and the authority of the authors, nothing documents Redmond's new operating system quite like Microsoft Windows 2000 Resource Kit.

The kit consists of seven books and a well-organized CD-ROM. Each of the books contains comprehensive information about the respective area that it covers, be it TCP/IP or distributed systems. The kit not only includes essential information but also contains detail and background information for its many subjects in great depth. For example, the book that covers Internet Information Server includes instructions on developing client/server and multitier applications. The Windows 2000 TCP/IP Core Networking Guide also has an outstanding introduction to the core tenets of TCP/IP.

Systems administration manuals have come a long way in terms of usability and presentation, but they are still not the easiest to use. Many books (including some from Microsoft) of lesser scope provide information in a format that's easier to follow, and that includes screen shots and step-by-step instructions. The volumes in this kit do not provide as many images, illustrations, or diagrams as other volumes, but the level of technical detail is unbeatable.

Many of the volumes could stand alone. The Distributed Systems Guide, which is over 1,600 pages long, contains complete coverage of Active Directory, PKI, Distributed File System, PKI, and much more.

Why the set includes the Internet Explorer 5 Resource Kit is unclear--it stands apart from the others in that it covers an application rather than a core piece of the OS.

If you have room in your budget and the need for the most comprehensive and authoritative guide available on Windows 2000 Server, this is it. --John Keogh

Topics covered: Each book contains a great deal of information on its subject as listed below. The topics show breadth of coverage for each book and the CD-ROM, rather than simply listing all subjects covered. Security is not mentioned specifically since it is addressed throughout the kit.

Operations Guide: Disks, storage media, remote storage, types of file systems, network printing, network printing from non-Windows machines, performance monitoring, memory and caching, monitoring processor activity, examining and tuning disk performance, Dynamic Disks, monitoring network performance, measuring multiprocessor system activity, system recovery, designing reliable systems, backups, repair, recovery, restoration, troubleshooting, boot process, troubleshooting boot problems, Windows 2000 Stop Messages.

TCP/IP Core Networking Guide: Introduction to TCP/IP, Windows TCP/IP suite, NETBIOS, TCP/IP troubleshooting, TCP/IP tools, DHCP, WINS, Windows 2000 DNS, IPSec, Quality of Service, OSI Model, Windows 2000 Network Architecture, TCP/IP remote utilities, DHCP Options, SNMP.

Internetworking Guide: Unicast Routing, Routing and Remote Access Service, unicast IP routing, IP multicast support, IPX routing, Demand Dial Routing, Remote Access Server, Internet authentication service, virtual private networks, L2TP, PPTP, interoperability with IBM Host Systems, services for Unix, interoperability with NetWare, services for Macintosh, ATM, Telephony integration and conferencing, TAPI 3, NetBEUI, data link control, IBM SNA interoperability concepts.

Distributed Systems Guide: Active Directory logical structure, Active Directory data storage, name resolution in Active Directory, Active Directory schema, Global Catalogs, service publication in Active Directory, Active Directory replication, LDAP, Kerberos, managing flexible single-master operations, monitoring performance in Active Directory, Active Directory backup and restore, Active Directory diagnostics, troubleshooting, recovery, authentication, public key technology, cryptography, Encrypting File System, EFS administration, Windows 2000 certificate services and public key infrastructure, Distributed File System, file replication service, network load balancing, interpreting the cluster log, introduction to desktop management, group policy, software installation and maintenance, remote OS installation, troubleshooting, change and configuration management.

Deployment Planning Guide: Overview of deployment planning, creating a deployment roadmap, planning for deployment, creating a test lab, conducting a Windows 2000 pilot, preparing your network infrastructure for Windows 2000, determining network connectivity strategies, Windows 2000 DHCP, using system management server to analyze your network infrastructure, designing the Active Directory structure, domain naming, domain migration strategies, planning distribution security, planning your public key infrastructure, automating server installation and upgrades, using systems management server to deploy Windows 2000, upgrading and installing member servers, deploying Terminal Services, determining Windows 2000 network security strategies, ensuring the availability of applications and services, determining Windows 2000 storage management and strategies, synchronizing Active Directory with Exchange Server directory service, testing applications for compatibility with Windows 2000, defining a client connectivity strategy, defining client administration and configuration standards, applying change and configuration management, automating client installation and upgrades, tools, accessibility for people with disabilities, sample planning worksheets (included as an appendix).

Internet Information Services 5.0 Resource Guide: Overview of IIS, migrating to the new version, migrating a Web server to IIS 5.0, capacity planning, monitoring and tuning your server, developing Web applications, considerations for Unix applications, ISAPI, data access and transactions, administering an ISP installation, security, access to legacy applications and data, ASP best practices, site security planning.

Internet Explorer 5: Overview of IE 5, IE 5 components, customization and administration, working with different platforms, understanding related tools and programs, digital certificates, security based on the source of content, security of the Microsoft Java VM, content ratings and user privacy, planning deployment, accessibility features and functionality, setting up and administering a pilot program, Microsoft Internet Explorer Administration Kit, setting up connections, connection management, running the Internet Explorer customization wizard, customizing setup, automating, working with .inf files, deploying Microsoft Internet Explorer 5, implementing the signup process, using automatic configuration and automatic proxy, keeping programs updated, supporting users, troubleshooting, batch mode setups, IE 5 options.

The CD-ROM: Many tools, including migration tools, network troubleshooting tools, and more.